TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed remarks by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific and China’s attempts to unilaterally change the regional status quo.

Wadephul made the comments at a joint press conference following the first Germany–Japan Strategic Dialogue with Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi on Aug 18, according to MOFA. He said Germany and Japan share common security interests in the Indo-Pacific, including the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and East China Sea.

He emphasized that the UN Charter prohibits the use of force, a principle that also applies to these regions.

By invoking the UN Charter, Wadephul reaffirmed Germany’s support for peace in the Taiwan Strait, MOFA said. “This demonstrates that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are in the shared interests of Germany and like-minded countries, and represent a consensus of the international community,” it added.

Wadephul is currently on his first trip to Asia since taking office in May. Before departing, he said China’s actions in the Taiwan Strait and other areas threaten “basic rules of global cooperation.”

“We are countering this together through our commitment to an international order based on the strength of the law and on binding rules for all,” he said.

MOFA pledged to continue working with Germany and other democracies to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific.